Inhaling-mask



v H. W., GRAHAM.

(No Model.)

Patented Mar. 22, 1898.

K S A M G N I L A H N I Witness UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v HUGH GRAHAM, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

lNHALlNG-MASK.

SPECIFICATION, formingpart of Letters Patent No. 601,074, dated March 22, 1898.

Application filed July 8, 1897. Serial No. 643,903. (No model.)

.To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUGH'WM. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inhaling-Masks; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to inhaling-masks designed primarily to keep the mouth closed and. compel breathing through the nose, the air being medicated or not, as desired; and it consists in the construction hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of my inhaling-maskwith the medicine-box attached. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the same when applied to the patients face. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the medicinebox. Fig. 4 is a front view of the mask with the medicine-box removed, showing the cover for the mouth; and Fig. 5' is the same with the cover for the mouth removed.

In the several figures, M is the mask, made of any suitable material, and A A are backstraps, E a nose-band, B B chin-straps, and C a chin-brace for holdingthe mask in place when applied to the patients face.

D is the opening, through which breathing through the nose is effected.

F is an opening in the mask opposite the mouth, and its object is to facilitate expectoration; but this feature may be omitted, if desired. When opening F is used, J v is a close-fitting air-tight covering for it, shown as hung from hinges H and held in position by spring-snap K; but cover J may be movably arranged over opening F in any other suitable manner or omitted altogether when the medicine-box is used as a cover, as indicated below. When the patient desires to relieve himself, he raises the cover J and expectorates through the opening F.

G is the medicine-box, which may be hung from hinges H or otherwise movably and removably attached to the front of the mask, said box having the opening I for the insertion of the medicine-saturated cotton or other medicine-holding medium and other small holes, as shown, to facilitate the free emission of the fumes of the medicine used. This medicine-box is made movable and may serve as the cover for opening F, if desired, and it is made removable to the end that it may be readily cleansed or filled or that the mask, when desired, may be used without it.

The size, shape, and material of the mask are not essential to my invention; but its essential feature is that it shall permit free acoess of air to the nose and cut ofi free access of air to the mouth, whereby the patient shall be induced to breathe through the nose alone. To this end my mask is constructed so that the mouth shall be entirely covered by a substantially air-tight material, which I herein denominate a mouth-cover, and that this "vented from dropping during sleep.

By the use of this mask a healthful method of breathing exclusively'through the nose is insured, and when the medicine-box is at tached the medicinal remedies indicated by the patients symptoms may be with a minimum of trouble and discomfort breathed in for many hours at a time.

' Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a nasal inhaling-mask provided with means for retaining the same in place, an airtight mouth-cover adapted to fit closely to the face around the mouth and having an opening opposite the mouth provided with a movable'air-tight cover, said cover having on its front side a perforated medicine-box, sub stantially as described.

2. In a nasal inhaling-mask provided with means for retaining the same in place, an airtight mouth-cover adapted to fit closely to the face around the mouth and having an opening opposite the mouth provided with a mov able air tight cover, substantially as described.

3. In a nasal inhaling-mask provided with means for retaining the same in place, an airtight mouth-cover adapted to fit closely to the face around the mouth in combination with a perforated medicine-box secured to the front of the mouth cover, substantially as described.

4. A nasal inhaling-mask consisting of an air-tight month-cover adapted to fit closely to the face around the mouth and of a noseband, chin-brace, and head-straps for retaining the same in place, substantially as described.

10 5. A nasal inhaling-mask consisting of an air-tight mouth-cover adapted to fit closely to the face around the mouth and of a chin-brace and head-straps for retaining the same in place, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature I 5 in presence of two witnesses.

HUGH WM. GRAHAM.

\Vitnesses:

T. B. GRAHAM, GEORGE 0. Bars. 

